


Closer Than You Think

by TheLittleBlackPrince



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir knows Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug is Ladybug, Adrinette | Adrien Agreste/Marinette Dupain-Cheng, F/M, Identity Reveal, Ladybug doesn't know anything, Ladynoir | Adrien Agreste as Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng as Ladybug, Looking for a Beta, Marichat | Adrien Agreste as Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng, because she always deny every thing!, chat noir knows, first Adrien, go with what ever you like, god bless Alya and Nino, it takes some time but Marinette finally catch up, the time line is a bit Unknown
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-22
Updated: 2020-08-22
Packaged: 2021-03-06 22:21:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,036
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26036329
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheLittleBlackPrince/pseuds/TheLittleBlackPrince
Summary: He answered her in a husky voice.“Then I tell you to don’t look so far,”He bent a little more. Staring at her lips all along. She looked at his.“Because,”One inch, her eyes closed.“I might be closer than you think.”
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug
Comments: 21
Kudos: 197





	Closer Than You Think

**Author's Note:**

> Ok so this is technically from my head canons. I wanted to tell you which part only to realize… all of it?  
> Am I focusing too much on Adrien? Yes. Do I feel guilty? No. (The show focus on Marinette enough.)
> 
> (i need a beta... i need a beta so _bad_! know anyone? bc i don't...)

“Oh thank goodness!”

Now, this could be real sweet or make her real happy, if it wasn’t chat noir who was hugging her!

“I was so worried when you didn’t show up.”

Marinette’s eyes couldn’t be any bigger.

“C-chat Noir!?”

The huge cat was so focus on hugging her to notice anything wrong.

“Chat Noir what…?”

He recognized the full name this time and froze. He suddenly pulled back and stare at her with fear.

“Marinette!” his voice was squeaky.

Marinette kept staring at him.

A few seconds of silence, and then Chat was standing on the other side of the ally!

“Hehehe. Wow I’m such an idiot! I got you wrong with someone else!” his voice was now high pitched. ”it’s just, the akuma this time was supper crazy and I was worried for, um EVERY ONE!” wow is this how she looked like while talking to Adrien? Or when tried to lie or bring excuses?

Chat rubbed the back of his neck nervously. “yeah so as I said crazy day.” Marinette was never more suspicious.

“Chat are you ok?”

Chat just snort. “What!? Of course! Never better!” he then point towards back over his shoulder. ”Just, you know? Works to do, akumas to fight, Ladybugs to find, yeah…”

Marinette narrowed her eyes. “ _Uh ha_.”

Chat looked like a bit pale. “Yeah so,” he looked around for a second then at her and grinned. ”see you around!” did Chat Noir always run this fast!?

*****

“Chat? We need to talk.”

Chat froze on the spot. (God dammit mind not _now_!) He then turned around and gave his lady the best model smile he could master. “Now? Not that I don’t wanna talk or anything but,” he lift the hand with his ring on up. “Secret identities?” Ladybug just gave him a poker face. His shoulder dropped and he sighed in defeat. Yeah, like he could ditch _her_!

“Ok. Ok. What’s wrong?” Ladybug tried to ask as normal as possible. “I heard you went and hug a girl out of nowhere.” Chat snickered. “What, jealous?” Ladybug scold him “Chat!” he just rolled his eyes and drop the grin. “Ok. Ok. No more jokes.” She stared at him expectantly. “So?” He had the nerve to look confuse. “So what?” now she was annoyed. “Why did you do that!?” he gave her a nonchalant look. “Seriously, you sound like a jealous girlfriend.” She stomped her foot. “CHAT NOIR!” he threw his head back out of frustration. “God! Why do you care!?” Ladybug frowned. “Because I wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t important.” That just made him snort. “Right. I forgot that part.” Her frown deepened. “Forgot what?” he didn’t answer.

He pressed his eyes with his Index finger and thumb. “Look I don’t know ok?” she just gave him a disbelieved look. He now was to one being annoyed. “I was worried ok!?” she put her hand on her waist, like saying ’keep going’. He getting the massage _like always_ continued “the girl, she is a very important person for me. I consider her a friend. She means a lot to me.” Ladybug frowned again. He didn’t say _‘we are friends’_ he said _‘ **I** consider her’_. Besides she didn’t remember… “You mean out or inside of the costume?” He smirked. “You know I can’t answer that.” She glared at him he just smirked wider. That little…

She sighed in defeat. “Today’s akuma was really dangerous but don’t go around hug people you know. Or don’t know for that matter,”

“You really do sound like a…”

“It might give away your identity.”

He fell silence in the middle of his teasing. She frowned “I mean it chat, it’s dangerous.”

“That’s it?”

She stared at him confused. He was looking at her funny. She couldn’t make out what did it mean. “What do you mean that’s it?” she tried to joke. “Should I scold you more?” the sad look he gave her surprised her.

Both their miraculous beeped. Shit! How many spot was left? She look over at Chat the sad look was gone. Maybe she saw wrong? He then nod his head. Avoiding her gaze. “Yeah, ok, are we done? I got to go.” She nod dumbly. He just nod again and then jumped off the roof without looking at her twice.

Ladybug stared after him alarmed.

What the heck just happened!?

*****

“You stupid cat!”

Ladybug threw herself over at her partner. Chat fell back amide standing. “Whoa there!” she just hugged him tighter. “You stupid, stupid cat!” Chat didn’t say anything and just looked around. “Already finish huh? How much this one took?” Ladybug pulled back and snap at his face. “Would you stop acting like its _normal_!?” he just stared back dumbly. “Is it not?” her jaw dropped. She punched his chest. “It _shouldn’t be_!” he just gave her a smile. “Now now my lady don’t be so angry…” she exploded.

“Of course I’m angry! Chat _stop going around dying on me!_ ”

“Don’t cry.”

He said seriously. She blinked a few times. Her cheeks felt wet. He lift up his hand and brushed of her tears softly. “Don’t cry, my lady.” He said seriously again but this time a little more soft. “I’m sorry to make you sad.” She snapped at him again. “Then don’t! Stop sacrifice yourself for me.” he looked sad. ”you know I can’t do that.” She stared at him in silence. She did. And she _hate_ it.

So she just get back on hugging him. So hard that if it was anyone else their ribs would break. But Chat hugged her as hard and swing her back and forth. “There there my lady. There there.” It just made her cry harder.

_Stupid cat…_

*****

“The boy that you love, who is he?”

Ladybug stared over at her partner. He wasn’t looking at her. She sighed.

”Chat you know I can’t_”

“Why not?”

Now he was looking at her. His electric green eyes shined in the darkness. She frowned.

“Secret identities_”

“How much is the chances I know your boy?”

That made her snort. “Oh believe me you do.” Chat lift an eye brow. “What? Is he that perfect?” She now was offended. “Of course he is! What? Jealous?” she teased him. He didn’t answer.

A few seconds of silence passed.

“Does he know?”

The comment made her star at him again. “Did you ever told him?” her heart start to speed up for unknown reasons. “It’s just I never saw you_” he suddenly stopped. Like he said something he shouldn’t.

She didn’t have a chance to think about it.

“I mean, you never said anything about that.”

It wasn’t what he was saying.

It _wasn’t_.

She _knew_ that.

She ignored it.

“No I didn’t.” it made him turn around and stare at her again.

“Will you tell me?”

Her heart stopped.

Wait!

Did he mean…

“If you ever told him? If you started dating?”

Oh.

He meant that.

 _Of course_ he meant that.

What else…

It wasn’t like he asked her to...

She smiled. “Of course I do!” he gave her a gentle smile. “That’s good. After all,” his smile wavered a little. “The only reason I keep trying is because, I think I might still, have a chance.” Her heart stopped again.

Sad face,

Gentle smile,

Kind and sweet eyes,

Under the dim light of the moon,

Chat noir never looked _more_ _beautiful_.

*****

_She was lying._

_He was always beautiful._

*****

Marinette groaned into her pillow for the Thousandth time.

“Marinette.”

She ignored her kwami. It was rude, but she did it anyway.

She groaned again.

Tikki called her again. This time more firmly. “MARINETTE!” she bolt upright. “What!?” Tikki just gave her a knowing look. Marinette stared back. Her kwami sighed. “Look, the sooner you stop denying, the sooner you can get used to it.” Marinette stared at her like she was talking some sort of ancient language. “I don’t know what you mean.” Tikki just stared at her. Marinette smacked her face at her pillow again and this time screamed in it.

_Who are you trying to fool!?_

Her head was screaming back. She just told it to shut up.

“Marinette come on, this is not _that_ bad.”

Marinette bolt up again and stare at Tikki in disbelief. “It’s not bad!? It’s NOT BAD!?” Tikki winced a little. Marinette was so deep in panic mood to apologize. “Tikki this can’t be happening!” she just gave her a pitiful look. “Come on Marinette you know this was bound to happen eventually.” Marinette threw her hands up in the air. “No it Wasn’t! I didn’t try to _don’t_ think about it only for it to calm back and slap me in the face!” Tikki shook her head. “Marinette you couldn’t ignore it forever!” Marinette bury her face. “What am I going to do tikki~!?” the little ladybug pat her back. “Talk with him?” Marinette stared at her with horror. “I can’t do that! What about Adrien!?”

Tikki suddenly stopped. “Adrien? What does it have to do with Adrien!?” Marinette was now confused too. “What? Everything!” Tikki just blinked at her.

“Wait,” Tikki’s eyes rounded. “What were you even talking about!?” Marinette stared at her, annoyed. “My new found love for one single cat Tikki!” the kwami burst to laughter. “Oh my god! I thought you were killing yourself over Chat knowing your identity!” Marinette’s heart stopped.

“He what!?”

*****

Don’t stare at him.

Don’t stare at him.

DON’T_

She was staring at him.

It was rude. She _knew_ that. It could make him uncomfortable. She _knew_ that too.

She was still staring at him.

He had a distance look over his face. Like he totally forgot about where he was. She wanted to know his thought because Chat _never_ forgot when he was with her.

…Did that sound selfish?

…It did, didn’t it?

Chat noticing _finally! _her stare turned his head over. He looked curious. “Something’s wrong?” she just kept staring. It made him laugh. “What!?”

“How long?”

His smile froze. His face slowly vacant of any emotion. He stared ahead again.

“How long?”

She asked again. He didn’t answer.

“Chat_”

“You finally catch up hah?”

He was smiling. If they weren’t in the middle of an intense conversion, she would thought it made him look more handsome. _She did thought that anyway_

She gave him a look. “ _Yeah_. You weren’t _that_ subtle about it.”

It made him laugh again. He shook his head and murmur “subtle huh?” he then answered her out loud. A little grin over his lips. “Well I might counted on your self-denial a _bit_ too much.” Ladybug stared at him with shock. “Self-denial?” he just shrugged. “You know, rules and secrets? Not thinking about the stuff that go past them? Keep denying some stuff until the very end?” she didn’t know how to feel. He didn’t say it in a mean way. He just say it like it was simply… a fact.

Tikki once told her, _‘If you get so catch up on your head, you might lose the sight of the reality.’_ She never understood what she meant.

She felt like she did now.

“Chat how long did you know?”

He kept staring ahead, smiling. “Awhile.”

She frowned. “How?”

He looked at her from the corner of his eye. “If you‘re asking, if I followed you around, then the answer is no. ” she felt guilty for thinking that even for a second. Of course he didn’t do that!

He sighed. “It just, happened.” He frowned a little. “I guess it was the fact that I thought about you a lot. Ladybug. The girl behind the mask. You and the one you always called the real one,” She get what he meant by that one. She always told him that in the first days. That Marinette wasn’t Ladybug. That he wouldn’t be able to recognize her. She now felt like an idiot. Because he did the very thing she thought he couldn’t.

So sure of herself.

So catch up in her own mind…

“I was so depressed to know you, to get closer to you,” she was now blushing. “That my subconscious mind start to _store_ as much information I knew about you as possible? Something like that I guess.” He then snort. “The fact that we spend so much time together defiantly didn’t help.” Did he mean in costume? No. he knew Marinette. _‘I consider her a friend. She means a lot to me.’_ He said. But, _who_?

“I knew you didn’t want me to know. So I kept denying. I kept ignoring what was staring right at my face.” His soft laughter made her heart do funny things. “It annoyed Plagg to death!” she couldn’t do anything but stare. He knew. And he didn’t say anything. He didn’t think about it, not because he was disappointed at her but because, _she_ _didn’t want to?_

He leaned back on his hands and stared at the sky. “I didn’t mean to find out. I know how important it was for you. I really did try. But, no matter how hard I tried, it still, sort of, happened.” Her eyes were burning. He smiled. “Maybe because I just loved you too much.”

_It wasn’t fair…_

“I kept telling my head to shut up. Tried to act normal. And just be your _friend_.”

_It wasn’t fair…_

He then shut his eyes. The smile dropped. “But it was like, the harder I reached out for you, the further you get.” He dropped his head and smiled bitterly. “Maybe it was because I was so greedy. So selfish. Wanting you all to myself. Your friendship. Your love. All of you.” He laughed again. “Or maybe it’s just the first impression thing.”

He once told her _‘your friendship is everything to me.’_ But…

_If he kept saying stuff like that…_

“And then one day. I looked at the sky and simply thought out loud _‘oh, she is Ladybug’._ Just like that.” He looked over at her. But she couldn’t see anything correctly, her vision was blurry. “Plagg asked me if I knew all along.” He looked up again. “I told him _‘how could I **not**?’_ ”

_If he kept being like this…_

“Chat…”

“And after that day, I get back to ignoring it all.”

“Chat _,_ _how long?_ ”

He stared at the sky in silence.

His soft whisper made her heart to stop.

“One year, eight months and thirteen days…”

Her tears rolled down.

_…How could she_ not _fall for him?_

He noticed her crying.

Like _always_.

He softly brushed them off.

“Don’t cry.”

_…How_?

*****

“Why are you sleeping there like its normal?”

Chat looked down at her from the top of the roof. He seemed confused and sleepy.

“Because it is?”

Marinette heart stopped. Chat’s eyes went wide. “I mean,” he jumped down on the balcony. “You know how I’m always early? So sometimes I just _fall_ _sleep on roof tops_?” she would believe him if she wasn’t Ladybug. The question mode, the hunched shoulders, twisting ears, lashing tail, he wasn’t lying, but he wasn’t telling the whole truth either.

He tried to distract her. “Why are you awake? It’s a school night.” Marinette decide to let it go.

For now.

She leaned over the balcony railings. “Had some stuff to think about.” He leaned from one side next to her. Asking cheekily “About me?” she answered honestly. “Yes.” His eyes widened. “Wow! Didn’t expect that.” she looked at him from the corner of her eye. “What? Me thinking about you? Or admitting it?” he completely leaned over the railing balancing his weight on his forearms. He said back bluntly. “Both.” Marinette just shrugged.

They were quiet for a few seconds.

She should just…

Just say it and…

“I don’t know who you are.”

“I know.”

Marinette stared at him with shock. That was fast! And why the hell he sounded so sure!? She tried to tease him.

“I mean I would totally remember a boy coming and telling me some cheesy pun or pickup line…”

“Don’t be stupid.”

He stopped her with a serious voice. She stopped and looked at him with shock. He still wasn’t looking at her but she could see how serious he was.

“You didn’t know that I know. I wasn’t going to flirt with Ladybug _and_ Marinette at the same time. It would make me look like a playboy.” Her heart stopped.

_“But Marinette you don’t know him! Don’t say stuff like that!”_

_”He flirts with everyone what else am I going to think?”_

_“You don’t know that!”_

Her heart twisted. She tried to hide her face. Her very _shameful_ face. She and _her stupid judgmental mind_.

“Why were you so sure that I don’t know?”

She asked in a whisper. If he could find it out by just simply spending time with her, if he could go pass the miraculous magic that easily, why couldn’t she? She felt her pried was wounded.

“Because that was never the question.” He answered in a calm voice.

Marinette was now confused.

He then turned his head and stared at her. “The real question always was,” She never felt more exposed. Like his eyes, could see her soul.

“Does she _want_ to know?”

Marinette felt her heart stopped and her breath catch on her throat.

He was still staring at her.

“Do you want to know?”

He asked in a gentle voice.

She tried to find her voice back.

“And Wh… what if I… I do?”

He stood fully up. She did the same. He then stepped closer. Until they were chest to chest. She looked up. When did he became so tall?

He bent down and rest his forehead against hers. Her breath catch in her lungs.

Their eyes locked.

She couldn’t look away even if she had space.

He answered her in a husky voice.

“Then I tell you to don’t look so far,”

He bent a little more. Staring at her lips all along. She looked at his.

“Because,”

One inch, her eyes closed.

“I might be closer than you think.”

When she opened her eyes, he was already gone.

She softly touched her cheek.

Closer than I think, huh?

*****

_She stayed there until morning._

_Touching her cheek._

_Thinking about him._

_all along..._

*****

”Oh god I missed this!”

Alya leaned back on her arms, over her bedroom floor.

“It was ages since we spend time together like this.”

Marinette, lying down in her belly, foot going back and forth in the air, smiled at her best friend. “Really? I didn’t notice.” Alya rolled her eyes at her. “Of course you didn’t, you were so distracted lately.” Marinette blinked a few times. “I was?” Alya nod. “Yep. You didn’t even talk about Adrien that much.” The bluenette stared at the pictures on her walls. She softly whispered. “ _Adrien_.”

She was actually more focused on _another_ blond boy. She asked Tikki what to do, miserable. ‘Open your eyes and see what’s in front of you.’ She said.

It didn’t help her feel better.

Alya kept going on without noticing anything weird. “Yeah it was ages since the last time you swooned over him and kept talking about how perfect he is.” Marinette stared at the brunette without really seeing anything.

_“Is he that perfect?”_

_“Did you tell him?”_

_“Catching up on your head… losing the reality.”_

When was the last time she actually _talked_ to Adrien?

What she thought of him, how much of it was actually _there?_

What was she doing to her _life_?

_“Will you tell me?”_

*****

Marinette looked around the park again. Her whole class where there in the park. Some people of other classes. Ok maybe the whole school…

It didn’t matter!

He said they are friends right? That his close.

So why the hell she couldn’t find him!?

Someone approached they bench. She looked up with hope only to get disappointed.

“Nino? Is Adrien ok?” Alya asked worried.

Marinette started to look around again.

Where was he?

She heard Nino’s answer absentmindedly.

“I don’t know dude. Maybe his just tiered?”

Marinette look over Alya’s shoulder. The brunette was staring at where Adrien was.

Come on.

Come on.

Come on.

_Where are you?_

“Is he sleeping sited!? How is he even doing that!?”

She turned her head around more.

Blond hair, handsome figure,

“I don’t know man! I guess his just really tiered?”

Kind eyes, soft smile,

“Maybe we should…”

Her eyes went past a boy sleeping on the grass sited. Head bent over.

_Stupid cat. How many times did I tell him to don’t sleep like that?_

“Marinette?”

She looked around again.

_He hurt his neck._

“Yo! dudette!?”

Her head snapped back at her confused friends.

Nino asked her. “Are you looking for someone?”

She opened her mouth to answer but Alya frowned and answered instead.

“Why should she do that? Everyone are already here.”

Marinette heart stopped.

_Everyone are already here._

Her head snapped back at _him_.

_Already here…_

*****

He was sleepy.

So sleepy.

The sun was warm,

The grass was soft,

Everyone's voices surrounded him like a sweet lullaby,

Maybe he should just…

“YOU STUPID CAT!”

Adrien head bolt up.

Pink pants.

He blinked a few times.

His head slowly went up.

There, in front of his eyes, stood a very _very_ angry Marinette Dupen-Cheng.

“Ma-Marinette?”

Her face was red, her eyes bright.

“Marinette what’s wro…?”

She flinging herself at him, making him to stop talking and falling on his back.

“Oof! What…?”

“You stupid cat!”

Adrien froze. She pushed her face more on his chest, scrunching his T-shirt in her hands.

_“Stop going around dying on me!”_

She said in a muffled voice. Shoulders shaking, her voice catching over sobs.

Adrien softly smiled. Gently hugging the back of her head, trying to soothe her. “Don’t cry. Shhhh. There there my lady.” Kissed her head, buried his head in her hair. “There there.”

He thought there must be screams, whistles or any other voice reminding him they were in the middle of a park.

Maybe there was…

Thought all he could hear, was the sobs of the girl in his arms.

_“It… you…long.”_

He frown. “What was that princess?” Her voice was so muffled by the way she buried her face in his chest.

She backed away a little, enough for him to see her face. He lift one hand to brush off the never stopping tears. She closed her eyes and leaned to his touch.

“The boy that I loved, it was you all along. It always was. First Adrien and then Chat.” She opened her eyes and looked at him with such a love and passion that made His heart stop, _“It was always you.”_ Only for it to start beating faster than before. He softly blinked. “You already know how much I love _you_.” She gave him a shaky smile.

She then turned her head and kissed his palm. “I’m sorry that it took me so long.” He took her chin making her to look at his eyes. He then whispered. “I told you,” he leaned forward. “That I was,” she closed her eyes. “Closer than you think.” They lips touched.

He firmed one hand on the back of her head, opening her pigtails. Another around her waist. She, locking her hand around his neck, cocking her head to give him better access.

They kissed like it was their last day.

Like they would die if don’t.

Like screaming _finally_.

When they eventually pulled back, they were panting for air. Bright eyes, kiss bruised lips, lazy smiles.

Marinette put one of her hands on his cheek.

“I love you.”

A tear fell of his eye.

She kissed it off.

“I love you.”

She told him again.

He breathed softly, eyes closed, cheek leaning to her palm.

“I love you.”

And again.

“I love you.”

 _And_ _again_.

He opened his eyes.

And finally smiled.

If repeating was what made him to believe her,

Made him to smile like _that_ ,

She would keep telling him that,

As much as it took,

Until the very end of the world.

He whispered back.

“I love you.”

She kissed him.

Because that was all she ever needed.

 _Him_.

**Author's Note:**

> Bonus:  
> While those two were on their own little world:  
> Lila: WHAT THE HELL IS HAPPENING!?  
> Every one: SHUT UP!  
> Alya: DON’T YOU DARE. MY SHIP IS FINALLY SAILING.  
> Nino: yeah dude, don’t ruin the atmosphere. Let my dude be happy.  
> Rose: this is so romantic!  
> Juleka: awesome.  
> Alix: PAY UP.  
> Kim: I CAN’T BEALIVE SHE REALLY DID THAT!  
> Max: this is actually against all the Calculations…  
> Chloé: I was waiting for this to happen for so long that I’m not even angry…  
> Nathaniel: um... Guys? Shouldn’t we… are you taking _pictures!?_  
>  Alya: they thank me for it later.  
> Lila: no seriously isn’t _anyone_ going to stop…  
> Every one: SHUT UP!
> 
> how was it!? did you like it? tell me what do you think!  
>  _talk with me people!_


End file.
